


To Find the Mark

by Thunder_of_Dragons



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Allergies, Angst, Denial of Feelings, Draco Malfoy Needs a Hug, F/F, F/M, Feelings, Harry Potter & Ron Weasley Friendship, Hogwarts Eighth Year, M/M, Magical Theory (Harry Potter), Minor Seamus Finnigan/Dean Thomas, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Ron Weasley is a Good Friend, Roommates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, The Ides of Drarry: A Drarry Game/Fest
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:35:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23311726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thunder_of_Dragons/pseuds/Thunder_of_Dragons
Summary: The Second Wizarding War ended. Voldemort was defeated. Everyone was left with scars, especially the students of Harry Potter's year, who all found new scars that had failed to appear on their seventeenth birthdays. Facing a new uncertain future and the potentially stressful task of finding their soulmates, many of them return to Hogwarts to complete one final year of schooling.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Comments: 3
Kudos: 49
Collections: The Ides of Drarry: A Drarry Game/Fest





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is a longfic being written for the Ides of Drarry game. As I'm writing, I'll be given different prompts to include in the fic. In some ways, I'll be flying by the seat of my pants while writing this, but I have planned out an overarching plot that I'll be attempting to stick to.
> 
> I am very excited to write this fic. I was assigned Eighth Year, Soulmates, and Forced Proximity. I've been wanting to write fics with all three of these tropes for a while now, so I couldn't be happier to finally be putting my spin on them out there in the world.
> 
> As I have no way of knowing what prompts I'll be given as I'm writing, I will be adding tags and pairings to this fic as I go. Please mind them if you come back to this fic after an update. The rating may also change if necessary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was not written to fulfill a prompt for the Ides of Drarry game.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY  
  
Headmistress: Minerva McGonagall  
(Order of Merlin, First Class)

_Dear former student,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for our provisional Eighth Year program._

_All eighth year students shall be assigned a single roommate who is not from their same house to promote inter-house unity. Should you choose to return, you shall find out the name of your assigned roommate shortly after the start-of-term banquet when you are taken to your new lodgings. We will not take roommate requests, even if you have found your soulmate to be from a different house than your own._

_Additionally, all eighth year students shall be permitted to play Quidditch, though they shall play on an inter-house Eighth Year Quidditch Team. Those who are interested in applying to be Captain of the Eighth Year Quidditch Team may post inquiries to Headmistress Minerva McGonagall._

_Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. You may be reminded that you are allowed an owl OR a cat OR a toad. As always, we await your owl by no later than 31 July. We look forward to your arrival on 1 September._

_Yours sincerely,_

Filius Flitwick  
_Deputy Headmaster_


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge thanks to FerretLovesPotions for the alpha/beta work! 
> 
> This chapter was written for the Ides of Drarry PAYDAY prompt: Draco intentionally or unintentionally hurts Harry.

Draco twisted on his heel, focusing with determination and deliberation on his destination: Hogwarts’ Main Gate. He was sure his year mates would be less than pleased to learn of his return to Hogwarts, but it was the right move forward for now. His father was in Azkaban, his mother was in the south of France, and now Draco was in control of his own future. Finally.

He had debated studying for his NEWTs independently, but the Manor was, quite frankly, a terrifying place to be, especially by one’s self. Hogwarts it was then, and, hopefully, the house-elves would make the Manor unrecognizable by the winter holidays. In the interim, he’d be able to improve and rebuild his networking connections during his studies. After all, nobody could really hate the man Harry Potter himself had testified for in front of the entire Wizengamot, could they?

* * *

Harry removed his Invisibility Cloak as the Hogwarts Express pulled into Hogsmeade. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to go back to Hogwarts; he wasn’t hiding. Well, yes, actually, he _was_ hiding, but not from the thought of facing his final year at Hogwarts.

Ever since the Battle of Hogwarts and Voldemort’s defeat, the public intrusion into his life had increased tenfold. Harry couldn’t go out in public anymore unless he wanted to get mobbed, which had caused public emergencies on more than a few occasions. The last time he’d stepped out on Diagon Alley, he’d been followed by so many reporters that nobody could get in or out of Gringotts. In the end, he’d had to ask Neville to do his Hogwarts shopping on his behalf, and even that hadn’t been safe, seeing as Neville had become a public figure in his own right after the War. 

Harry had hoped the train ride and return to Hogwarts would be much less of a hazard, but he’d quickly changed his mind and pulled out the Cloak after the sixth barge into his compartment in half as many minutes. He could only hope that maybe, possibly, the other returning eighth year students had gotten over their awe and imposing questions a long, long time ago. Otherwise, this year would be unbearable.

* * *

“Eighth year students, over here if you would,” Professor McGonagall requested as the start-of-term banquet came to a close. “You won’t be needing the passwords to your house dormitories. I do believe you’ll find your new lodgings to be more than accommodating and your company highly stimulating.” The eighth year students turned their heads at one another as they made their way towards the High Table. “I also believe congratulations are in order for the inaugural Captain of the Eighth Year Quidditch Team, Ronald Weasley. He has shown great strategic aptitude during his former years here, and I am sure he will lead you to victory and the Quidditch Cup. Now, if you’ll follow me to the newly rebuilt and renamed Eighth Year Tower, I’m sure you’d like to see your new home for the year.”

Harry clapped Ron on the back as they followed Professor Mcgonagall out of the Great Hall. “Congrats, mate! I can’t think of anyone more deserving of the position.”

“Thanks, Harry!” Ron grinned as they began climbing a staircase. “I’m completely blindsided by it, of course, but I’m positively chuffed as well. Now, we’ll have to have you as our Seeker. You’re the best Seeker Hogwarts has ever seen.” Ron swung his arm forward, nearly knocking Seamus down the staircase as they turned down a corridor. “Whoops! Sorry, mate!” he called behind him before turning back to Harry. “Reckon Malfoy’ll be interested in playing our Reserve? I know he was a Death Eater and all, but he was a bloody good Quidditch player, too!”

Harry’s grin faltered for a moment. “I haven’t the faintest, but I’m sure you could ask him.”

Professor McGonagall stopped and turned in front of a large painting of a calico cat. The cat was curled up on its side and twitching its tail as it watched them approach. “This is the entrance to your common room. I trust it will meet your expectations. As you are all above age, and seeing as there simply aren’t that many of you, you’ll find your dormitories all simply attached to the main common room. There’s no silly nonsense with staircases that turn into slides. Simply find the door in the common room with your name and the name of your roommate on it, and that shall be your dormitory for the year. I shall not permit roommate exchanges except in the most dire of emergencies; I expect you can all act like the adults that you are.” McGonagall raised an eyebrow and looked over the group. “The password is not actually a password. You simply have to gently stroke the pad of the cat’s bottom left foot. Her name is Coco, and she also enjoys the occasional head rub. Take excellent care of her, and have a wonderful year.”

The eighth-year students watched their fearless Headmistress walk away. When she turned the corner, they briefly looked at one another, and Pansy Parkinson strode up to the portrait of the calico cat. She rubbed Coco’s bottom left paw, let the entry hole reveal itself, and then asked, “Well, are you lot coming through now, or are you planning to stand around and gawk all night?”

One at a time, as they were all now considerably larger than they had been as first-years, the eighth year students stepped through the portrait hole and looked around their new common room. The room was one large circle, and there were four fireplaces spread equidistantly around the perimeter. However, the black leather couches and armchairs were all facing towards the center of the room, rather than grouped around the fireplaces. Candles floated atop cedar end tables, and throw pillows in every house colour were scattered around on the furniture and floor. 

Eleven open doors around the perimeter revealed similar cedar furniture in the bedrooms. Four-poster beds were draped in moss green with brown duvets. A trunk sat at the end of each one. Past the door frames, the students could see the edges of large desks and cushioned chairs.

There was a bulletin board beside the portrait hole. Hermione, ever the observant witch, was the first to notice it. She read off of the lone notice on the board, “At 7:30 pm on 2nd September, there shall be a meeting of the eighth year students with Deputy Headmaster Filius Flitwick to go over the changes to the Hogwarts rules being made for the eighth year students. This meeting shall be held in the eighth year common room. All eighth year students are required to be in attendance.

“Well, I suppose we’re certainly in for a school year that’s a bit… different… from our previous years,” Hermione spoke to the silent room. “I, for one, would like to meet my new roommate. That seems the easiest thing to do at the moment.”

The other eighth year students all nodded in various states of agreement. Padma Patil was eagerly pushing her hair away from where it had fallen into her eyes, whereas Blaise Zabini had settled for a single quiet nod. Draco and Harry were both too busy glancing nervously around the room, trying to glimpse the names on the doors, to bother with making any sort of motion to indicate they had heard Hermione at all.

Within a few seconds, everyone was moving around and shouting, shaking hands and slapping each other on the back when they found their new roommate for the year. Everyone, that is, except for Harry and Draco. They were still staring around, wondering when one of their peers would call out to them, “Hey, we’re roommates!”

As time went on, it became increasingly obvious that nobody would be calling out for them. Draco was beginning to wonder if he was really so hated as to have nobody admit to being his roommate. Maybe McGonagall would have to relent on the rules and give him his own room. He’d be lonely, sure, but that was fine if it was what everyone else wanted.

As it became increasingly obvious that everybody else was paired up already, Harry began to fear the worst. Wiping his hands on the thighs of his denims, Harry stood up. He walked the room slowly, eyes just briefly glancing over the names by the doors but not really reading any of them. None of them were his own.

On the next to last door, he finally found it.

_Draco Malfoy_  
_Harry Potter_

It was just as he had feared.

Harry entered the room, closed the door, and began pulling his things out of his trunk, hanging his mementos up on the walls, and putting his books and stationery away in his new desk. Draco would have to come in eventually. After all, he was far too proud to sleep in the common room all night just to avoid Harry; it was only a matter of time. They’d sort everything out then. 

Really, it was Harry’s doing that had allowed Draco to come back to Hogwarts in the first place. He knew what speaking at Draco’s trial would mean and what the consequences of it could be, and he wouldn’t, nor could he, take his actions back. 

Harry just wished he knew why it was his luck that he’d be forced together with Draco for the entire school year. Draco had made it clear after the trial that he wanted nothing to do with Harry, and Harry had begun to think that maybe he’d best just get on with his life. Let the poncy git do as he liked. Sure, they’d saved each other’s lives on multiple occasions during the War, but that didn’t mean there would ever be anything more between them, aside from their rivalry, of course.

Harry had already completed his evening routine when Draco finally entered the room. Though they probably should have talked immediately, Harry was a bit preoccupied with talking to his godson. When he’d been cleaning Grimmauld Place over the summer, Harry had found another set of two-way mirrors, and he’d given one to Andromeda so Teddy could talk to him, even while Harry was away at Hogwarts. As much as Harry needed to talk to Draco, he knew his godson would always have to come first. They could discuss things after Teddy had gone to sleep.

Nearly an hour later, Draco emerged from the en suite and sat on his bed, trying to quickly close the curtains around him.

Harry was faster.

“Why didn’t you answer my owl?”

Draco paused mid-flick of the curtain. “Really?” he asked. “We’re going to be roommates for the entire year, and you thought it would be best to start by dredging up some minutia from the summer?”

Harry fidgeted with his wand as he pulled his legs up to cross over one another. “Yes,” he replied. “It’s important to me.” Harry set the wand down beside him. “I suppose you got the owl, but did you even bother to read the letter? Or did you incendio it without a second thought?”

Draco glanced at Potter, taking in his hunched shoulders, his fingers rubbing back and forth across the duvet, his toes clenching into his thighs. “No,” Draco sighed, looking down at his own duvet. “I did not indencio your letter. I read it. I simply had other things to take care of, so you’ll excuse me if having a drink with my former rival didn’t seem high on my list of priorities, what with my father going to Azkaban and my mother leaving the country. Somebody had to be there to oversee the Ministry raids on the Manor. Somebody had to manage the Malfoy assets. Somebody had to instruct the house-elves to try to salvage the Manor from what that bloody monster did to my home. Meeting up with somebody who isn’t exactly an old chum didn’t quite fit in the schedule.”

“I hadn’t thought of that.” Harry let out a breath, relaxing against his headboard. “Well, what about now? I know we can’t leave Hogwarts until a Hogsmeade weekend, but perhaps you’d still be willing to talk, even without a bit of liquid courage to round out your Slytherin edges?”

“Of course you didn’t think.” Draco raised an eyebrow, considering his new roommate’s offer. “And what exactly do you think we’re doing right this minute? Throwing hexes at one another?”

Harry glanced at his desk. “No, I suppose not.” He yawned. “It’s been a rather long day. Why don’t we continue this conversation after the mandatory meeting in the common room tomorrow? I’m knackered.”

Draco nodded and drew his curtains around the bed, embracing the privacy and darkness to examine his thoughts from the day. Soon enough, he heard the steady rhythm of Harry’s breathing four feet over as he continued to sit up, turning his wand over in his hands and reminding himself to be grateful that Potter had returned it to him at the trial. At least somebody here trusted him. That would be a start, and it would have to suffice for now.


	3. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Ides of Drarry fest is over, but I assure you that I am still planning to complete To Find the Mark. There are still a few regular prompts, PAYDAY prompts, and team challenges that I plan to incorporate in future chapters, and I will include the prompt or challenge in the author's note for each of those chapters when we come to them.
> 
> It will take me a while, possibly months (hopefully not years), to update this fic. Considering 2020's many challenges and the additional stress it's placing on my real job, all of my creativity and problem-solving skills are being used up at the moment, and I am just out of reserves of it to use for writing this fic, as near and dear to my heart as it is.
> 
> Many thanks to [KaterineBlack](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KaterineBlack/pseuds/KaterineBlack) and [kai_blxck](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kai_blxck/pseuds/kai_blxck) for their help with this chapter!
> 
> This chapter was not written as a prompt fill for Ides of Drarry.

When Harry awoke the next morning, he was surprised to see Draco’s curtains pulled back and bed neatly made, but his new roommate was nowhere in sight. Harry had never considered Draco to be an early riser, especially with house-elves around to wait on him hand and foot, but he supposed that he shouldn’t have been thinking about Draco’s morning routines anyway. There was a long day ahead of him, and he doubted Draco ever put any thought into his own morning routine.

Rolling out of bed, Harry showered, brushed his teeth, and prepared for breakfast as quickly as possible since he would have to come back to the Tower before classes anyway. They hadn’t been given their timetables last night, and Harry wasn’t sure what classes he would be taking, much less which ones he’d have today. Harry had asked Neville to go ahead and purchase all of the books on his list for him, and he could guess a couple of the classes he would be attending based on the book titles alone. However, it was rather odd that neither Headmistress McGonagall nor Professor Flitwick had asked for the courses they wished to take when they had sent the owls over the summer. They didn’t think his career interests were the same as they were before the Battle, did they?

As Harry stepped out of the en suite, the door to the bedroom opened. Draco shut the door and stretched his arms wide above his head, raising his dampened v-neck, exposing a strip of lightly tanned skin and a patch of golden hair leading into his shorts. Draco’s platinum blonde hair was nearly brown, plastered to his head and dripping with sweat that glistened in the morning sunlight seeping in from the window. 

To Harry’s surprise, Draco was also wearing Slytherin green trainers. He hadn’t realized Draco even knew about Muggle trainers, but he was glad Draco seemed to be making an effort to fight against his old prejudices against Muggles.

“Were you exercising?” Harry asked bewilderedly.

“It was just a few laps around the Black Lake before breakfast, hardly anything you could consider strenuous,” Draco replied, bending down to untie his laces, unknowingly giving Harry a delicious view of his rear end as his silver shorts cupped his arse. “Are you finishing up? I’d like a shower before classes; that is if it isn’t an inconvenience to you.”

“No, no, not at all,” Harry stammered. “I mean, yes, I’m finished in there. I was just heading down to the Great Hall, actually. Ought to eat a full English breakfast before the first day of classes and all.” 

“Brilliant!” Draco grinned, running a hand through his sweat-laden hair and letting Harry pass him. “Thanks, Potter!”

As Harry hurriedly left the bedroom, he tried to ignore the unwanted image of Draco’s pert arse that his brain kept showing him. Today was the first morning of his final year of school at Hogwarts. It would also be his first meal at Hogwarts since the war ended. Everyone would be able to run up to him without the pressures and rituals of the start-of-term banquet and the Sorting keeping unwanted visitors at bay. Harry needed to focus, lest he lose his composure in front of everyone when they began asking him questions about anything and everything. He could handle this constant public surveillance for a few days—possibly weeks, though he dreaded the thought. Eventually, his fellow students would no longer be interested in his every move, and he could finally find some semblance of normal in his so far, abnormal life.

Ignoring the hush that fell over the Great Hall as he entered, Harry dropped into a spot at the Gryffindor table between Hermione and Neville, thankful that they had saved him a seat. Keeping his head down, he began spooning a full English breakfast onto his plate, quietly listening to the half-exhausted, half-excited conversations floating around him.

“Morning, Harry,” Neville said to him in greeting. 

“Morning,” Harry grunted, nervously scanning the Great Hall before staring resolutely at his plate.

Glancing around, Neville leaned in closer to Hermione and Harry and whispered between bites of toast, “Word of advice to you both: avoid the Ravenclaws for the time being. They’re all anxious to interview you three and hear a firsthand account of what it took to defeat old Voldy.” Neville rolled his eyes, taking a swig of tea. “Michael mentioned something to me last night about writing an anthology of students’ accounts of the War. Of course, they’re not stopping to think that perhaps some people would rather not relive their experiences and would prefer to move into a brighter future.” 

Neville shrugged, dipping his toast in his eggs. “I’ve already resigned myself to not getting any peace in my own room until I tell him my own story of the War, even though I pointed out to him that he was there in the Room of Requirement with me the entire time. It didn’t do any good dissuading him, but I told Michael flat out that I refuse to help him get your side of things. It’s not my tale to tell, and nobody has a right to it but you. Besides, you deserve to move on from what happened more than anyone, Harry.”

“Um, thank you, Neville,” Hermione replied. “That’s very kind of you to let us know in advance. Actually—”

“Miss Granger, Mister Potter, and Mister Longbottom; if I may have just a moment of your attention,” Headmistress McGonagall requested. “I have your timetables for the month of September, and I wanted to ensure you all receive the correct tables. With the way the press has been scavenging like kites around you, we wouldn’t want them in the hands of others, would we?”

Hermione wiped her mouth with her napkin. “Headmistress, I was actually wonder—”

“I really don’t have any time for questions at the moment, Miss Granger, but I’d be more than willing to meet you for tea at four o’clock tomorrow afternoon if you’d like.” Professor McGonagall produced their timetables from the sleeve of her robe, handing them out to the eighth-year Gryffindors. “These timetables have been made based on the NEWTs you intended to pursue or were in the process of pursuing in your seventh year. While I realize these may not be the courses you wish to take now in our new post-War society, I must ask that you go ahead and follow your timetable for today; Professor Flitwick will discuss this matter further this evening.” 

Smiling warmly at each of them, McGonagall continued, “I am very glad that you’ve returned to finish your education this year. I’m rather eager to meet the young adults I know each of you will become.” Clasping her hands, Professor McGonagall bid them a fond farewell, reminding Harry and Hermione, “I expect you in my classroom by 9:00 am this morning, Mister Potter and Miss Granger. It would be such a travesty if you were to be late to your first class this year, seeing as it’s your final year at Hogwarts.”

Harry glanced at the timetable, his skin crawling as he sensed more sets of eyes on him. Today, he had Transfiguration and Potions in the morning with Double Herbology in the afternoon; it could be worse. Scooping a last spoonful of eggs into his mouth, Harry stood and gave Hermione and Neville his goodbyes. He’d need to get his books from the Dormitory before heading to the third floor, and Harry wanted to sneak out of the Great Hall before anybody decided to stop their staring and start talking to him.

Fidgeting with an errant stitch in his robes, Harry hurried to make his way back to the room he shared with Draco. He could always stay away from everyone except the eighth-years and the Hogwarts staff by retreating to the Eighth Year Tower. So really, he only needed to keep his guard up on the way to classes and during meals. At night, he’d be able to hole up and recharge, and the day wouldn’t be terribly long with classes to keep him occupied for the first time in over a year, after all.

* * *

A soft trill emitted from Harry’s wand where it sat on the foot of the bed. Harry grabbed it, turning off the alarm, and slid it into his sleeve.

“Good night, Teddy,” Harry whispered into the two-way mirror. “Have the sweetest of dreams, little guy.”

Teddy’s eyes turned emerald green, and his small lips blew a raspberry before the mirror once more reflected Harry’s own face back to him.

Standing up and dragging a hand through his hair, Harry headed back into the Common Room, scanning the area for an empty seat and a friendly face. It was nearly 7:30, and all of the eighth-year students were expected in attendance for the meeting tonight. He wasn’t particularly keen on standing through the meeting, but luckily, he managed to find one open seat.

Harry flopped down onto a couch next to Hermione, leaning his head on her shoulder and reading a snippet from the book she had open on her lap. “Really, ‘Mione? It’s the first day of classes, and you’re already doing the homework for Transfiguration?”

“Yes, Harry,” Hermione snapped, “and you’d do well to start doing it yourself. Setting good habits now would keep you from rushing to get all of your work finished at the last minute.” She closed the book, marking her page with an unused quill. “You’ve been in your room for the past half an hour. If you’d started on your work instead of wasting time enjoying yourself, you would be halfway done by now.”

Harry felt his cheeks heat as he bit his lip. “Er, that’s not what I was doing, ‘Mione.”

“Oh, really?” Hermione asked, glancing at Ron, who was sitting in the corner playing Wizard’s Chess with Seamus. “That seems to be all Ron does anymore. I’m surprised he’s not spending time alone in his room right now.”

“Really, I wasn’t,” Harry explained. “I was talking to Teddy before he goes to sleep.” He laid his head back on the edge of the couch and examined the ceiling beams above. “I’m rethinking coming back this year. I made a promise to Remus and Tonks to watch over and care for their son, and it’s not fair to expect Andromeda to take care of him herself for the entire year. I should have just accepted the Auror trainee position Kingsley offered me. Then, I’d be around every night to take Teddy home or to help tuck him into bed at night.”

“Harry,” Hermione sighed, “you’re doing the best that anybody could ask for right now. We both know you’d have been miserable on the Auror force, and you need your NEWTs to find another career, even if you are Harry bloody Potter.” She grinned and poked him in the side. “Besides, you’re setting a good example for Teddy and showing him the importance of education. You need time to find out who you are and to heal your own scars from the War, and this gives you the time to do that before you jump into being a parent. You’ll be out of Hogwarts and taking care of Teddy full-time before you know it.”

Harry shrugged, muttering, “I can’t set an example for Teddy if I can’t get to classes through all of the people crowding me and asking me questions everywhere I go.”

Hermione opened her mouth to respond, but Harry ignored her in favor of turning his attention to the portrait hole as Professor Flitwick stepped through. “Ah, eighth-year students, if I may have your attention? I know you have many other things you’d rather be doing tonight, so I’ll try to keep this as brief as possible.”

Harry made his best effort to sit up straight and intently listen to Professor Flitwick as the other students trickled out of their bedrooms, stopped playing games or chatting, and found seats and standing positions around the Common Room. Flitwick took the opportunity to transfigure a throw pillow into a raised podium to stand on.

“As I said, I’d like to keep this as brief as possible; I know you are all rather busy getting reacquainted and making headway on your first assignments.” Professor Flitwick smiled kindly at them all. “Welcome back to Hogwarts, all of you. We’re glad you’ve decided to join us and complete your education, despite what obstacles have laid in your paths over the past few years.

“We know that times have changed drastically, and there were a fair few questions about your courses and timetables this morning. Rest assured, we did not simply assume you would all be following the same career path you began in your sixth year. Times have changed, and, indeed, you have changed with them. That being said, if you wish to stop pursuing NEWT studies in any of the courses you are currently taking, you simply need to schedule an appointment with Headmistress McGonagall to inform her of your decision. Additionally, if you find yourself in need of studying a subject you have not yet taken here at Hogwarts, Headmistress McGonagall is willing to schedule an appointment with herself, the subject’s current professor, and you to discuss your studies. Of course, any decisions reached would be on a case-by-case basis. There is no “one-size-fits-all” approach, as the Muggles would say, when it comes to your education and career. This is, however, your final year at Hogwarts, so any changes to courses you are taking do need to be made before the end of September.

“Should you require any advice while you are here or desire to seek out any career guidance, you are encouraged to speak to your Head of House. You may not be residing in your House dormitories any longer, but you are still a member of your House and, as such, able to depend on your Head of House for anything you may need.

“Of course, we are aware that students of the Slytherin and Gryffindor houses may be hesitant to seek out their new Heads of House, seeing as they’re both new this year with Professor Snape’s absence and Headmistress McGonagall’s new position. Moreover, as this is your final year at Hogwarts, you may not have time to create connections with a new Head, and we understand your predicament. If necessary, you may also seek me out as a stand-in Head of House, even though I’m still the Head of Ravenclaw, or you may seek out Headmistress McGonagall. She has mentioned how near and dear to her heart you all are right now, though I doubt she’d appreciate me telling all of you such.”

Professor Flitwick scanned the parchment he had spread out on his podium. “Ah, yes, we are also adding a new table to the Great Hall for all meals. This will be at the rear of the Great Hall, positioned perpendicularly to the house tables, should you wish to sit with your fellow eight-year students during mealtimes. We recognize you may have more in common with each other now than you do with the other members of your own houses, and we’d like to make the transition back to Hogwarts as seamless as possible for you all.

“We are also aware that many of you have new responsibilities as a result of the War and its effects. Some of you may have family members, businesses, or properties to take care of throughout the year, and we recognize you may not be able to wait until approved Hogsmeade trips to take care of these responsibilities. As such, we are lifting the restrictions that prohibit you from leaving the grounds of Hogwarts. You need not ask permission nor seek forgiveness, but do remember to stay in the castle and attend all of your classes. If you do leave the grounds, we simply ask that you inform a member of the faculty before you leave in case of an emergency.”

Reviewing his parchment one last time, Professor Flitwick nodded and looked around the Common Room. “If I’m not mistaken, Mister Ronald Weasley had an announcement for tonight as well?”

Ron stood from an armchair. “Yes, sir, that is correct.” He approached Professor Flitwick’s podium. “As you all know, Headmistress McGonagall appointed me Captain of the Eighth Year Quidditch Team. I’ve reserved the Pitch tomorrow afternoon and evening for tryouts. I know it’s been a long time since many of us have been able to play Quidditch or even fly on a broom, so I’m giving us as much time as possible to put together our best team and prepare before our first match. Please consider trying out tomorrow or cheering on those who do, especially since we’ll need about half of us playing to form a full and effective team. We’re all eighth years now; it’s time we banded together.”

Professor Flitwick nodded, reclaiming his place at the podium. “Yes, well, that was quite the rousing speech, Mister Weasley. I’m sure Ravenclaw will have a run for their gold fighting for the Quidditch Cup this year.

“Should any of you need absolutely anything, my door is always open to you, as is Headmistress McGonagall’s. I wish you the very best of luck this year.”

Professor Flitwick transfigured the podium back into a throw pillow. Turning to the portrait hole, he called over his shoulder, “I expect to see my Charms students bright and early tomorrow morning!”

As the portrait closed behind Professor Flitwick, the Common Room descended into excited chatter. It was clear this would be a very different year than they had anticipated. “I suppose it makes sense they would give us more responsibility,” Hermione said, opening her book once more. “After all, they can’t exactly treat us like children anymore.”


End file.
